William sanderson



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WILLIAM SANDERSON, OF. NEW YORK, N.`Y.

Letters Patent No. 78,834, dated Jane 9, 1868.

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'ro ALL WnoM 1r MAY coNcERN:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM SANDERSON, of New York, of New York county, in the State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Manufacture of Knives and Forksg and I do4 hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanyingr drawings, making part of this application.

My'invention relates to a novel method of making the handles of case-knives, forks, and other analogous instruments, and has for its object toprovide a means for the manufacture thereof, by which an article equally or more desirable may be produced at a less cost than those heretofore made.

It has been customary, previous to my invention, to make the handles of knives and other instruments, of different materials,- such as Wood, metal, ivory, boue, hard rubber, dto.; and in forming and uniting the parts it has been the practice 'generally to either make the knife-blade With a slender tang passing into a cavity in the handle, and riveted to the latter, or with a broad tang, equal in width to the handle, having the handlepieces secured on each side, in the form of-seales.

In that kind ofr knife-handles in vvhich the scales are riveted to a broad tangthc former are apt to warp out of shape and crack o, and in that kindjn which asmall `tang runs into or through the handle, tho handle and tang are apt to become disengaged, and in both methods offmanufacture a considerable amount of manual labor is necessary.

l:By my invention, I am enabled to produce, at al 'comparatively small cost, a durable, handsome, and in every way desirable knife or other handle; and my said invention consists in making the handles of knives, forks, Svc., by moulding them Within dies, under pressure, of any suitable composition, which can be compressed while in a soft state, and which will securely embrace the metallic tang, and afterwardbecome hard and inexible.

To enable those skilled in the art-to make and use my invention, I will proceed to describemore fully my new method of making knife and other handles, referring by letters to the accompanying drawings, in which-- Figure 1 is an elevation of a case or table-knife made in accordance with my invention.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal section ofthe same, and y Figure 3 a perspective view, showing the metal tang before the handle has been formed or pressed around it.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of a knife, in which the handle is made of a metallic frame, extending from the bolster, and having the composition pressed into and around it.

Figure 5 is a cross-section of thesamc at x x, ig. 4.

In the several figures the same parts are indicated by the same letters of reference.

A is the blade of the knife, Bvthe bolster, and C the handle. -In figs. 1,2, and 3, thc knife is formed 4with a slender tang, d, around nwhich the composition-portion, e, of the handle is formed within dies, while in figs. 4 and 5 the knifeis' formed with a metallic frame, f, into which the com-position is pressed,'in the form shown.

The portion c of the handle may be made of any suitable composition or compound which can becompressed in a soft state, and which will become hard and suihciently durable for use,and to` stand washing inV hot water, and the wear that knives are subjected to. Any compound which will answer the purpose, and be economical cnough,.may be used to carry out my invention.

I have found that by having the surfaces of the dies, between whichthe 'composition-portion ofthe handle.

is moulded under strong pressure, madeA smooth, the handle will, when iinished, have a polished appearance. 0f course the dies may bermadeeither plain or with an ornamentation, to produce any desired shape and design of handle that may be desired.

If it be found necessary or expedient, in consequence of any burr or seam being left in the composition,-

lwhere the dies join, the handle 4may be finished off on a polishing-belt,but I have found-by experiment that `the handles can be made very perfect and smooth by the dies only', if the latter be made accurately.

It'avill be understood that the tang d should be made of such a shape as to permit the comipositioncompressed around it to holdit securely, and so that itcannot slip orhecome displaced. When the handle is formed with a metallic frame,f, as shown at figs. 4 and 5, it should be so shaped as to permit the composition to interlock firmly, and at the same time be made sufficiently rigid, either by cross-ties t', or by having the frame heavy enough to prevent any springing ofthe metallic portion, and consequent detachment of the composition from the metal.

It may he found expedient to either prepare the shaukior frame portion with some chemical, or coat it with some soft metal or alloy in the process of manufacture, to insure a perfect and more lasting union between the said metallic portion of handle and the composition.

Of course my new .nethod of making handles as described, by compressing, within dies Iand around the metallic portion of the instrument, some. suitable composition, may be applied t'o the manufacture of various handled instruments, and'may be carried out under a variety of modications and circumstances.

I do not wish, thereforeto be understood as limiting myclaim of invention to any particular-ity of form or design, or to any one particular appropriate compound or composition; neither do I wishto be understood as claiming securing the material of the handle to the tang bycompression, as that has -been done with handles formed of horn orhoof, as'showu in English patent, No. 8,533, of 1840; but having explained my invention so that those skilled in the art can practise it,

What I claim a's new in the manufacture of knives andforks, and other analogous articles of manufacture, is-

Forming the handles by mouldinp a suitalile composition, under pressure, around the tang or metallicv portion of the instrument, substantially as hereinhefore set forth. v

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal, this eleventh day'of January,'1867.

WM. SANDERSON. [L s] Witnesses: 1

C. A. SCOTT,

ANDREW DE Liter. 

